The Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme has once again become a hot\ntopic of public discussion. The trigger was a statement by the Minister\nof Primary and Secondary Education, Abdul Mu\u2019ti, who revealed that\naround 43 million students across Indonesia have benefited from MBG. The\nmajority of them want the programme to continue. According to the\nminister, students have felt the real benefits of MBG on improved\nattendance, learning motivation, and academic achievement at school.<\/p>\n
A survey by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education on the\nSeven Habits of Great Indonesian Children, conducted from mid to late\n2025, showed that the MBG programme had a positive influence in reducing\nconcentration problems caused by hunger and increasing student focus.\nMeanwhile, a January 2026 survey by Indikator Politik revealed that 72.7\npercent of the public were satisfied with the MBG programme, with the\nstrongest support coming from Generation Z at 80.7 percent. A\nPoltracking Indonesia survey conducted from 11 to 17 May 2026 revealed\nthat 51.9 percent of the public wanted the MBG programme to\ncontinue.<\/p>\n
These survey results should not be read merely as a series of\nstatistics. Behind the figure of 43 million students lies a humanitarian\nmessage: the basic food needs of Indonesian children still require\nserious government attention. When a nutritional fulfilment programme\nreceives such an enthusiastic response from students, it proves that\nschools are now not only places for learning but also spaces for social\nprotection and the fulfilment of basic human needs.<\/p>\n
Referring to Abraham Maslow\u2019s (1943) hierarchy of needs,\nphysiological needs such as food and drink are the most fundamental\nrequirements. They must be met before a person can progress to higher\nlevels, including learning and achievement. It is difficult to imagine a\nchild being able to concentrate and absorb lessons in class if they\narrive at school on an empty stomach. For children from low-income\nfamilies, a plate of nutritious food at school is an absolute guarantee\nthat they receive proper nutritional intake every day. This programme\ndoes not merely alleviate hunger but also provides a sense of security\nand inner calm during the teaching and learning process.<\/p>\n
Various global studies confirm this urgency. A 2024 report by the\nWorld Food Programme asserts that school feeding programmes are proven\neffective in increasing attendance rates, improving concentration, and\nboosting learning outcomes. A 2025 UNESCO report also states that\nimproved nutrition and food security contribute significantly to the\nsustainability of children\u2019s education in various parts of the world.\nDomestically, a 2025 study by Rahmah and colleagues found a positive\ncorrelation between the MBG programme and student attendance and focus\nin class. Meanwhile, research by Widyasari and colleagues in 2025 showed\nthat this programme has great potential in reducing stunting and anaemia\nrates, which have long overshadowed the academic performance of young\npeople.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/why-tens-of-millions-of-students-want-the-free-nutritious-meal-programme-to-continue-1781503021", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }